Reading

I have a hard time remembering the books I’ve read. Ask me for a recommendation, and everything flies out of my head, leaving me wondering, “Have I ever read a book?”

If it weren’t for Goodreads, I don’t know how I’d get through the May #RomBkLove challenge started by Ana Coqui. The goal is to get people talking about romance novels across social media, and it’s certainly doing that. I’ve been participating on Twitter (my favorite platform), but I wanted to include the info here, for the next time someone asks for recommendations and I immediately forget every book I’ve ever read.

These titles feel like they’re cut from the same beautiful cloth, one that weaves together positive female friendships, diverse representation, and intersectionality. They’re funny and sweet, with action and mystery, pairing excellent writing and beautiful illustration and coloring. They feel timely, fresh, and necessary for today’s comics readers.

In the next post I’ll recommend five new comics titles I’ve read and loved, but first, a retrospective.

I grew up reading comics. When I was a kid, my dad would take me to our local comic shop in the Bronx and to monthly comic book conventions in Manhattan to stock up on titles like Excalibur, Uncanny X-Men, and Archie Comics.

At the end of every month, I like to do a recap of the books I read. April was all about graphic novels and shifters, with a fun historical romance to round off the month. (The thumbnails look so weird together, I might consider dividing these posts up differently in the future.)

While in Los Angeles earlier this month, I happened to be around Culver City for the grand opening of The Ripped Bodice, the first romance-only bookstore. After raising over $90,000 on Kickstarter, sisters Bea and Leah Koch opened the doors on March 4th, 2016.

The store is cute and highly photogenic, with a mix of art, carefully curated gift items, and of course, BOOKS! The books are displayed in a way that makes it easy for you to browse genres & tropes you enjoy. Looking for rock stars? Sports romance? M/M? There’s a shelf for each, & knowledgeable staff to answer your questions and give suggestions. Indie, traditional, and classics can be found easily, making for an impressive selection of print titles. Subtle, creative merchandising invites you to get lost while looking for your latest additions to the TBR pile. Displays seamlessly combine books & local crafts, making it a great gift resource for book lovers. And I can’t say enough about the antique furniture decorating the space & providing seating. If you’re in LA, definitely check out The Ripped Bodice, a haven for romance readers.

I didn’t do a lot of reading in February. I started A Convenient Engagement by Kimberly Bell, Luck on the Line by Zoraida Cordova, and Destiny’s Surrender by Beverly Jenkins. I’m enjoying them all, but having a very short commute means that reading at home takes away from writing time. So far I haven’t finished any of them yet, but I like what I’ve read so far. Continue reading →

In an effort to post more regularly, I’m going to attempt monthly recaps of my reading and writing progress.

CHICKEN WITH PLUMS by Marjane Satrapi

In January, I focused heavily on my own writing projects, but I still wanted to read without the distraction of getting sucked into longer novels. I deliberately looked for shorter works, and finished reading 5 books.